Laura:America’s Next Reality Star is the story of Jen, who goes on a competition-based reality show looking for some much-needed cash after she’s laid off. She establishes a connection with a fellow contestant, but must decide whether it’s worth risking the competition to pursue it. It’s a sweet, fun romance, great for beach reading.

Joyce: Is there an idea out there that you wish you’d thought of?

Laura: Harry Potter. It would be nice to have my own theme park. But, seriously, I’ve read the same idea by different authors that resulted in radically different books, so even when I read a book with a killer concept, I know the end result would be different if I’d written it.

Joyce: Do you write by the seat of your pants (pantser), or do you carefully plot your stories (plotter)?

Laura: I call myself a “plotser.” I don’t outline before I start writing, but I always know where I want the story to go (sometimes, I even have an idea how to get there). I’ve been known to write the end of a story first. For the last two books of the Reality Star series, I created synopses before starting, but the finished products honestly strayed quite a bit from those original plans. That’s the closest I’ve ever come to outlining a project before I wrote it.

Joyce: Do you listen to music while you write? What are some tunes on your playlist?

Laura: When I’m writing rom-com, I need happy music. I listen to a lot of show tunes, a lot of Carly Rae Jepsen. When I was writing America’s Next Reality Star, I listened almost exclusively to the Glee soundtrack. For sad scenes or more serious books, I listen to Adele, Cristina Perri and the soundtrack from The Last Five Years. (The movie and the show, and I’ve been known to just stream the movie on Netflix while writing.) Musicals are my jam.

Joyce: Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?

Laura: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. At first I was savoring it because it was so good I didn’t want it to end, but then I had to find out what happened. Like I said, I like musicals. Which is funny, because the one thing I have in common with all my main characters is that none of us can carry a tune.

Laura: I learned to pasteurize eggs at home so I can make and eat chocolate chip cookie dough while working. Sometimes, I’ll use crushed-up Cadbury mini-eggs instead of chocolate chips. I take my junk food very seriously.

Joyce: What are three romance novels on your to-be-read list?

Laura: Worth the Wait by A.J. Pine. I’ve read everything A.J.’s ever written, and she’s one of my favorite authors. The book is actually on my Kindle, just waiting for me to get some free time.

I’m also excited to read The Heartbeat Hypothesis by Lindsey Frydman and Meet Me Under the Stars by K.D. Proctor later this year when they’re released. I was fortunate enough to work with both Lindsey and K.D. in the past, and I love their writing! I can’t wait to see their finished products.

Joyce: What’s coming next?

Laura: Sweet Reality, book two in the Reality Star series, follows Jen on her next adventure involving cupcakes and a Caribbean cruise. It’ll be published on September 5, with a third book in the series scheduled for 2018.

About America’s Next Reality Star:

Seeking the smart one

Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.

Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer …